Tuesdays are for the bookish because it's NEW RELEASE day, and today, we're celebrating not one, but TWO titles out now (or very soon!) via Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing. Both titles take the cake as they bring us stories featuring our furry four-legged friends, and, in the case of the first one, their human counterparts. There is fun to be had and lessons to be learned, so lets get between the pages of today's selections...
by
Chris Lynch
9781481459204
Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers
Release Date: March 12th, 2024
About the book...
In a family of strong personalities with very strong points of view, Louis is what his mother lovingly calls “the inactivist,” someone who’d rather kick back than stand out. He only hopes he can stay under the radar when he starts high school in the fall, his first experience with public school after years of homeschooling.
But when a favor for a neighbor and his stinky canine companion unexpectedly turns into a bustling dog-walking business, Louis finds himself meeting an unprecedented number of new friends—both human and canine. Agatha, a quippy and cagey girl his age always seems to be telling two truths and a lie. Cyrus, a few years his senior, promises he’s going to show Louis how to be a better person, whether Louis wants him to or not. And then there are the dogs: misbehaving border terriers, the four (possible stolen) sausage dogs, the rest of Louis’s charges, and a mysterious white beast who appears at a certain spot at the edge of the woods.
Dogs and human alike all seem to have something they want to teach Louis, including his menacing older brother who keeps turning up everywhere. But is Louis ready to learn the lesson he needs most: how to stop being a lone wolf and be part of a pack.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
This one really hit home.
Louis is a kid that's facing the inevitable...growing up. Life waits for no one, and his is certainly taking an active turn into the fast lane of late. With his mom being away getting the help she needs, the human buffer in his life that helps him look at things in different ways while providing comfort through those growing pains is no where to be found. A Zoom call is not the same in this situation, and visiting hours are awfully short to sort out life's problems. True, he has other family, but he's just learning how to reconnect with dad, his sister is well, his sister, and specializes in telling him what to do, and his older brother is best left out of the picture more often than not. In short, his familiar world is in shambles, but there are still things that can bring in some light to the darkness. His new dog walking business for one, and Aggie for another...but none of these connections are as straight forward as they at first seem, nor do they mean he'll be sheltered from heartache. The best he can do is take it one day at a time, build the relationships, make the connections, and learn that while we might not always get what we want, there are ways to get what we need, and help those around us find that same sense of home.
I really took my time through this one as the story wasn't just CHARACTERS, PLOT, TWIST, and ENDING. There was a lot going on even when barely anything was being said, and the author really lets you into the mind of young Louis to explore those feelings, that confusion, as well as delight in the moments when understanding dawns. I appreciated meeting Cy, and celebrated knowing the force that was Aggie even when their lives weren't painted in the brightest colors. It had a healthy dose of reality with a reminder that families aren't just made by blood, but also by choice. You can be that person to somebody, if only you're willing to take a step in their direction.
🐾 🐾 🐾 🐾 🐾 🐾 🐾 🐾 🐾 🐾
The Great Puptective, Book 1
By
Illustrated by
9781665938242
Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers
Release Date: March 19th, 2024
About the book...
Truffles the cat is the only pet in the house and reigns in peace and quiet, only exerting himself to find the best place to take a nice, long nap—preferably in a spot of warm sunshine. Then Poppy the puppy bursts onto the scene.
Poppy is loud, enthusiastic, excitable, and—worst of all—a puptective! She’s got an eye for crime and a nose to solve all mysteries that come her way…even though she’s not completely sure what a mystery is.
Truffles cannot let this intrusion stand. Poppy won’t be able to continue disrupting his precious me-time if she’s shipped to the North Pole! But could this irrepressible new companion be just what this grumpy cat needs?
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
This was the CUTEST! 😍
Poppy is BEYOND adorable. She's the new puppy in town, well...the only puppy in town, and she's ready to explore, take on the world, and solve all the mysteries a puptective can...as soon as she finds out what the mystery to be solved IS exactly! No worries...Truffles is HAPPY to help her out. Yeah, and if you believe that, I have some swampland in Florida to sell you that houses buried treasure. *ahem* Suffice it to say that Truffles isn't exactly happy about his new "friend" and, just like siblings are apt to do, she gets on his last nerve, making his mission clear...he must get Poppy to move on out, so he can have his peaceful domain to himself once again. That would be the perfect ending to this unwanted introduction...until it isn't. You see, the more time you spend around someone, the more you get to know them, and the more you get to know them, the more you might kinda sorta not want to admit it but realize it even in the smallest part of your mind that you like them The company, the interactions, and goodness forbid you mention the fun they bring to everyday things...Truffles is in for an unexpected awakening...but will it be too late? *dun dun dunnn*
You'll laugh, you'll awww, you'll want to give them a big ole hug and call it a day, but as much as it is an adorable story about a dog and a cat, it also helps kiddos with life situations beyond those of the furry variety. The lessons shared extend to the relationship shared between siblings, as well as when they meet someone new that could be a potential friend. It helps them to see that NEW or DIFFERENT isn't a bad thing...it adds the spice to life, or the footprints to an otherwise clean floor. It mixes things up, and helps us grow, while enriching our lives in ways we can't always measure. With ridiculously cute illustrations throughout, you won't want to miss the kick off to this new series!
🐾 🐾 🐾 🐾 🐾 🐾 🐾 🐾 🐾 🐾
Special thanks to author Gracie Ruth Mitchell for the chance to be a part of her early read and review team. (THANK YOU!) For more information on this title, or the author, feel free to click through the links provided above. This title is available TODAY, so click on over to your favorite online retailer to snag your copy now.
Until next time, remember...if it looks good, READ IT!
No comments:
Post a Comment